Jacks break out the bats, win 18-4

LORMAN, Miss. - Nine different South Dakota State players
notched at least two hits as the Jackrabbit baseball team ran its winning
streak to three games with an 18-4 victory over Alcorn State Tuesday night in
the opening game of a two-game series.

The Jackrabbits, who rapped out 24 hits and scored their
most runs in a game since the 2010 season, improved to 7-3 overall. Alcorn
State dropped to 2-12 overall.

SDSU took control from the outset as the first six batters
reached safely. Zach Coppola and Daniel Marra walked to open the inning and
reigning Summit League Player of the Week Andrew Melton delivered the first run
of the game with a base hit. Nick Andrews followed with a run-scoring single
and Paul Jacobson added an RBI single two batters later. The final run of the four-run
first inning scored on a sacrifice fly by Reid Clary.

The Braves got a run back in the home half of the first
before SDSU built the lead to 8-1 with two runs in both the second and third
innings. Melton tripled in Marra with the first run of the second inning and
later scored on an Andrews double. The
Jackrabbit runs in the third inning scored on an error and double-play
grounder.

Alcorn strung together three consecutive singles and a
sacrifice fly against Jackrabbit starter Kolton Emery in the bottom of the
third to close to within 8-3.

SDSU sent 11 batters to the plate in the top of the fifth,
scoring six times. Melton, who was a home run shy of the cycle, doubled in two
runs and Aaron Machbitz added a run-scoring single.

Melton was 3-for-5 with four runs batted in and three runs
scored to lead the Jackrabbits' 24-hit attack. In all, 14 different players
recorded at least one hit and 10 different Jackrabbits were credited with an
RBI. SDSU hitters also drew eight bases on balls, including three each by
Coppola and Marra.

Emery worked the first six innings, striking out two and
walking one. He allowed three runs on six hits in improving to 2-0 on the
season.